Connecting clip



Jan. 6, 1959 vv. M. MILLER CQNNECTING CLIP Filed oct. 11, 195e IN VENTOR. VERA/ER M 4f/1.4.51?

drranue'ys United States.. Patent C CONNECTING4 -CLIP VernerlM. Miller,Minneapolis, Minn. Application october 11, 19s6,seria1N0-. 615,338

sclaims. (C1, 189.-35)

The invention herein has relation to a connectingclip whichl has beendevised'A to be especially useful for the purpose of'spanning thedistanceY between adjacent channelmembers upon the edges of tiles, asfor example, at or in the-corners of ceilings, and' concealing adjacentend -portions of anges of saiel channel members;

Itis common practice to place channel membersv` about the exterior edgesof tiles of` ceilings at the'locations where* contiguousV with Wallssupporting they ceilings. Vertical bodies ofthech'annelmembersfareesituated between the-tilesand the wallsandsecuredlto'the'- walls, andlhorizontal' lowerflanges` of thev channelmembers serveV as-supports forqthe tiles and arevisibley to-constituteborders of1ory for the ceilings. The endsfofl adjacentr-channel membersheretofore have beenmitered and horizontall lowerI flanges'` offadjacent channel members have met in abutting relation at the corners ofthe ceilings to provide sightly, ceiling borders.

In the' disclosure as made, the new and'improved connecting clipis-employed to :span the.distance between adjacent .channel members atthe cornerofa ceiling-and to concealrendfportions of horizontal lowerlflanges; of said channel members thus to eliminate the 4necessity ofmitering without in anyway rendering'theceiling border other thanentirely. sightly, inapearance: 1

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specication,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a connecting clip made according to theinvention as it would appear from below when applied to use inconnection with channel members at a corner of a ceiling;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the connecting clip and endportions of channel members adjacent thereto as said connecting clip andchannel members would appear from the position of line 2--2 in Fig. 1 j

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, taken on line 3-3 inFig. 2, of the left channel member disclosing the connecting clip inedge elevation and the right channel member in elevation as it wouldappear from the inner side in said Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of said connecting clip as it would appear fromthe position of line 4 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view corresponding generally with the disclosure ofFig. 4 but showing a connecting clip of slightly modified construction;and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

A body member of the connecting clip is constituted as a flat blank ofrigid material including a square por tion 10 and rectangularextensions, denoted 11 and 12, respectively, at 90 degrees apart andprojecting outwardly from interior side edges, represented 13 and 14,respectively, of said square portion. Exterior side edges, indicated 15and 16, respectively, of the rectangular extensions 11 and 12 are inalined relation to exterior side edges, designated 17 and 18,respectively, of the square portion, interior side edges, denoted 19 and20, respectively, of said rectangular extensions are in perpendicularrelation to the interior side edges 13 and 14, respectively; ofthesquare portion, and the interior side edges 19- and 20 of therectangular extensions 11 and 12, respectively, are in perpendicularrelation to each other; The opposite side edge portions of therectangularextensions Iliand` 12 are constituted as elongated llangeseach-indicatedk 21, which extend longitudinally of said rectangularextensions in perpendicular relation thereto; All of the elongated anges21 are at a single surface'- of=the-bodyl member of the connecting clip,thev top-surface as disclosedin Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing; Stateddifferently; an interior surface of a base -22 of'eachIof'therectangular extensions is bounded at its opposite'side'edges'bythe anges 21. Together, the base 22 andthe 'flanges21l of eachrectangular extension provide a guideway for a purpose to be set forth,extending longitudinally ofthe rectangular extension.

An attachment element of the connecting clip is'constituted as a pieceof semi-rigid, flexible material in clnding a flat square portion'23 andwings, represented y24 andj25', respectively, at 90 degrees apart andextending outwardly from interior side edges ofsaidsquare portion; Asdisclosed in Figs. l to 4, the-wings 241and 25 are curvilinear. Asdisclosed in Fig, 5, said wingsfaresub stantially rectangular. Thesquareportion-,ZB-of thef at. tachment elementiis approximately-thesame-size as'- is theY square portion 10 lof the body member andtfis"super imposedupon andclamped against said-squareportionof the'bodymember by lugs 26; The wings 24l andiZS'a-re of'V flexible nature and"are disposed inA thel longitudinal guideways provided by the bases' 227andE flanges 21l Aof the, rectangular lextensions 11 and 12,respectively,l in contiguous-or contacting relation to said base:- Ihnerends ofvthe wings are'ofset, at-34', witlifrespecttdthe adjacent edgeslofl they squaregportion=23 Outerz edgeVv portions- 27 of thewings24and-2`S are'bent in:direction -'away from the* body member'of theYconnecting lclip',l and leach :of l said wings, together `with# theadjacent surface of :the/1 base/'22 of the" corresponding rectangularextension;V provides`l` a gripping-entity'foithej connecting'clip: u

lia-chiot firstr andiseeond channeli embers,= denotedZS and 29,respectively, at the left and right in Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawing,is constituted as a vertical base member 30 secured to a wall, andhorizontal upper and lower iianges, represented 31 and 32, respectively.The horizontal lower( ilanges 32 are for supporting tiles, as well asfor providing an attractive border of or for a ceiling. As will beapparent from Figs. 2 and 3, ends 33 of the rst and second channelmembers, including the horizontal lower flanges 32 thereof, are inspaced relation, the body member of the connecting clip spans thedistance between the ends of said channel members and the rectangularextensions of said body member overlap the end portions of saidhorizontal lower flanges of the channel members thus to provide acontinuous border at the corresponding corner of the ceiling.

Assembly of the connecting clip with the channel members is accomplishedby manually inserting the adjacent ends of the horizontal lower anges ofsaid channel members into the guideways of the rectangular extensions.The oppositely disposed flanges 21 of the rectangular ex tensions willbe spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the Width of each ofthe horizontal lower flanges 32, which are of equal width, thus toretain each channel member and the rectangular extension with whichassembled in alined relation.

In the disclosure as made, the horizontal upper and lower flanges 31 and32 extend inwardly from the base members 30 of the channel members. Ifsaid horizontal anges are to extend outwardly, all that is required isto turn the channel members end for end and assemble the horizontallower flanges 32 thereof with the gripping entities of the curvilinearclip in the san-1e general manner as herein illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A connecting clip constituted as a flat blank includinga body member,an extension on said body memberandspaced, parallel flanges on andprojecting interiorly of said extension and providing a guidewaytherewith, and an attachment element constituted as a flat piece ofmaterial including a body portion superimposed upon and secured againstthe body member of said at blank and a wing portion situated betweensaid spaced, parallel anges in contiguous relation to an internalsurface of said extension.

2. A connecting clip constituted as a flat blank of rigid materialincluding a body member, an extension on said body member and spaced,parallel anges on and projecting interiorly of said extension andproviding a guideway therewith, and an attachment element constituted asa at piece of material including a body portion superimposed upon andsecured against the body member of said at blank and a resilient Wingportion situated between said spaced, parallel ilanges in contiguousrelation toan internal surface of said extension.

3,. A connecting clip constituted as a flat blank including a bodymember, extensions on said body member in perpendicular relation to eachother and spaced, parallel flanges on and projecting interiorly of eachof said ex-. tensions and providing a guideway therewith, the spaced,

secured against the body member of said at blank and resilient wingportions situated between the spaced, parallel flanges of theextensions, respectively, in contiguous relation to internal surfaces ofsaid extensions.

5. The combination as specified in claim 3 wherein exterior side edgesof the body member of the at blank are in alinement with exterior edgesof said extensions, respectively, and interiorv edges of the extensionsare in perpendicular relation tov each other 6. The combinationasyspecified in claim 4 wherein exterior side edges of the body member ofthe at blank are in alinement with exterior edges of said extensions,respectively, interior edges of the extensions are in perpendicularrelation to each other and the guideways provided by said extensions areof equal width.

7. A connecting clip constituted as a at blank including a body member,extensions on said body member in the plane thereof and in perpendicularrelation to each other and spaced, parallel anges on and projectinginparallel flanges of said extensions, respectively, being in angularrelation to each other, and an attachment element constituted as a atpiece'of material including a body portion superimposed upon and securedagainst the body member of said atblank and wing portions situatedbetween the spaced, parallel anges of the extensions, respectively, incontiguous relation to internal surfaces of said` extensions.

4i A connecting clip constituted as a flat blank of rigid materialincluding a body member, extensions on said body member in perpendicularrelation to each other and spaced, parallel anges on and projectinginteriorly of each of said extensions and providing a guidewaytherewith, the spaced, parallel anges ofsaid extensions, respectively,being in angular relation to each other, and an attachment elementconstituted as a flat piece of material including a body portionsuperimposed upon and teriorly of each of said extensions and providinga guideway therewith, the spaced, parallel flanges on said extensions,respectively, being in angular relation to each other, and an attachmentelement constituted as a flat piece of material including a body portionsuperimposed upon and secured against the body member of said at blankand wing portions in the plane of said body portions situated betweenthe spaced, parallel ilanges of the extensions, respectively, on saidbody member in contiguous relation to internal surfaces of saidextensions.

8. The combination as specified in claim 7 wherein exterior side edgesof the body member of the at blank t are in alinement with exterior sideedges of said extensions, respectively, and interior side edges of theextensions are in meeting and perpendicular relation to eachother.

References Cited in the le of this patent Y UNITED STATES PATENTS MurphySept. 29, 1931 "2,242,266 Scales May 20, v1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 718,711Germany 't May 19, 1942

